USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 36
USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume II > Part 36
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EDWARD T. RISBRUDT.
Edward T. Risbrudt, one of the best-known and most progressive mer- chants of Ashby, Grant county, former recorder of that village and also actively interested in agriculture and in real-estate, is a native son of Minne- sota and has lived in this state all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in St. Olaf township, in the neighboring county of Otter Tail, July 26, 1875, son of Torkel E. Risbrudt, one of the early settlers of that section of the state, a very interesting narrative of whose long and useful connection with that section is contained in John W. Mason's recently published "History of Otter Tail County," a valuable companion publication to this volume.
Upon the completion of the course in the public schools in the neigh- borhood of his boyhood home, Edward T. Risbrudt attended Park Region College at Fergus Falls and then continued his labors on the home farm until the fall of 1898, when he went to Ashby, where, in association with J. O. D. Madland, he built a store building and on March 19, 1899, opened a general store there, under the firm name of Madland & Risbrudt, which arrangement continued until September 25, 1903, when he bought his partner's interest in the concern and conducted it alone for a couple of months, at the end of which time he sold a half interest, in December, 1903, to O. T. Foss, the firm continuing under the firm name of Risbrudt & Foss until on October
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3. 1908, since which time Mr. Risbrudt has operated the store alone and has been very successful. In 1910 Mr. Risbrudt lost his store and all its contents by fire, but with characteristic energy he lost no time in replacing the loss and was out of business but nineteen days. In addition to his general mer- cantile business he also is giving considerable attention to agriculture and to the local real-estate business. He for years has given a good citizen's atten- tion to local civic affairs and served as recorder of the village until the pres- sure of his personal business compelled him to decline further public service. On August 28, 1906, Edward T. Risbrudt was united in marriage to Sophia Larson and to this union three children have been born, Ruth Lorine, born on February 20, 1909; Ella Marie, August 20, 1912, and Cora Georgene, November 26, 1915. The Risbrudts have a pleasant home in the village of Ashby and take a proper part in the various social activities of their home town, as well as in all movements designed to advance the welfare of their community. Mr. Risbrudt is a member of the local lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America.
ANTON HAUGLIE.
Anton Hauglie, one of the well-known and prominent farmers of Moe township, Douglas county, was born in Norway on October 23, 1870, the son of Johannes and Bertha (Olson) Hauglie, also natives of Norway, who continued to live in the land of their nativity until 1891. Mr. Hauglie was a shoemaker and rendered long years of service in that line. Upon landing in the United States in 1891, he and his wife came directly to Minnesota and located at Evansville, Douglas county, where they both died the follow- ing year. They were the parents of the following children: Karen, Sissel, Lars, Ole, Christian, Johan, Anton and Clara. Mr. and Mrs. Hauglie were active members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and took much interest in church work.
Anton Hauglie received his education in the common schools of Nor- way and there grew to manhood. As a young man he learned the shoe- maker's trade, at which he worked with his father for some years. In 1888 he decided that he would come to America, and after landing in the United States came directly to Minnesota and located in Moe township, Douglas county. After remaining there for a year he went to North Dakota, where he worked as a farm hand and did threshing in Richland county. In 1899 he started farming for himself in Moe township, Douglas county, and is now
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the owner of two hundred acres of excellent land. The farm is improved with substantial buildings, a part of them having been placed there by Mr. Hauglie, and there he is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful. He is a firm believer in intensive farm- ing and in the thorough cultivation of the soil. He keeps high-grade stock, which receives his careful attention.
Anton Hauglie was united in marriage to Matilda Sophia Olson, daugh- ter of Sven Olson, a well-known and successful resident of the county. To this union the following children have been born: James S., Henry B., Mildred A., Rudolph C., Esther V., Minnie J., Sidney William, Florence E. and Arnold J. Mr. and Mrs. Hauglie are active members of the Lutheran church and have always taken much interest in church work. They have long been prominent in the social and religious life of the community in which they live and are held in the highest regard by all who know them. For many years Mr. Hauglie served as a member of the board of trustees of the local church.
Anton Hauglie has always taken a keen interest in the civic life of the community and has ever given his assistance to all projects that had a ten- dency to make better and more prosperous the home community. He is independent in politics and served for six years as a member of the town- ship board of supervisors, in which office he rendered admirable service.
HENRY DIMENT.
From the Badger state came Henry Diment, for many years, a farmer and well-known citizen of Brandon township, Douglas county, who is now "sleeping the sleep of the just," after a long and upright life, fraught with no little good to his neighbors and friends. He was born in Wisconsin, and his death occurred in Douglas county, Minnesota. He grew up on his farm and when young came to Douglas county, where he married Clara Holte, whose death occurred about 1910. To these parents the following children were born: Louis, who is the eldest; Emma, second in order of birth; Minnie, who married Carl Bye; Edwin, who married Minnie Winkjer, and Carl.
Henry Diment owned a good farm of two hundred and seventy acres in Brandon township, on which he carried on general farming and stock raising successfully, having cleared a large portion of the land. He was one
MR. AND MRS. HENRY DIMENT.
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of the early settlers there and one of the most successful farmers of his township. He was of Scandinavian descent and a member of the Swedish Lutheran church of Moe township. He put all the improvements on the farm as it now stands. The place is well located three and one-half miles northeast of Brandon. Since his death his son, Louis Diment, the eldest child, has had charge of the place and is looking after the family's welfare in general. He has kept the land in good tilth and has been successful as a general farmer and stock raiser. He has purchased the interest of part of the heirs, owning that portion of the homestead that includes the buildings. He owns sixty acres. He was born on the old home place on July 18, 1887. He is unmarried and his sister Emma keeps house for him. Louis Diment is regarded as one of the most enterprising of Douglas county's young farmers. Politically, he is independent. He attends the Norwegian Lutheran church. .
HENRY O. MYHR.
Henry O. Myhr, a well-known and successful farmer of Holmes City township, Douglas county, was born in Douglas county on April 25, 1880, the son of Peter O. and Hannah H. (Stranvold) Myhr.
. Peter O. Myhr was born in Norway on June 11, 1854, the son of Ole P. and Julia (Ingebrightson) Myhr, both natives of that country. The family were farmers in their native country and well known in the com- munity in which they lived. In 1866 Ole P. Myhr and family came to America and located in Winnebago county, Illinois, where they remained until 1872, when they came to Minnesota, the father purchasing land near Brandon, which he developed and improved and where he engaged in gen- eral farming and stock raising for many years. He later retired to Evans- ville, where he died some years later. The widow after the death of her husband, made her home with her son, Peter O. Myhr, until her death some years ago. Ole P. Myhr and wife were the parents of three children, Peter O., Caroline and Mary. Caroline Myhr married Ole Kron and Mary Myhr married the Rev. Christian Sogstad.
Peter O. Myhr received his education in the schools of Illinois and Douglas county. Soon after completing his schooling he engaged in farm- ing near Brandon. At first he lived on rented land and later was the owner of several farms. In 1891 he located on his present farm of one hundred
(24a)
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and seventy acres in Holmes City township. He was married in 1870 to Hannah H. Stranvold a native of Norway who came to the United States with her parents and to this union the following children have been born : Ragna, Henry O., Albert, Helga (deceased), Helga Percilla and Martin.
Henry O. Myhr received his education in the public schools of Douglas county and at Farwell. As a lad he lived at home and assisted his father with the work on the farm, and at the age of seventeen, he went to live with his grandfather Stranvold, since which time he has continued to live on the farm. The grandfather died some years ago, while the grandmother makes her home on the old homestead. Henry O. Myhr has purchased one-half the farm, but operates the entire place, where he is engaged in general farm- ing and stock raising, in which he has been quite successful. He is espe- cially interested in the breeding of Shorthorn cattle and has many fine specimens of that breed.
On May 30, 1902, Henry O. Myhr was united in marriage to Tillie Oletta Femrite, who was born in Holmes City township, on April 28, 1882, the daughter of S. O. Femrite, a pioneer of that township. To this union the following children have been born: Sarah Pauline, Hilda Geline, Ruben Bennett, Martha Janette, Harold Thorpin and Mary Selvine. The family and members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and take much interest in church work, being prominent in the social and religious life of the town- ship. Mr. Myhr has always taken much interest in the civic life of the community and has served six years as a member of the school board. He is interested in the Holmes City creamery as well as the local Mutual Fire Insurance Company,
Carl Albert Myhr was born on his Grandfather Stranvold's farm in Holmes City township on June 9, 1887. He received his schooling in the public schools of the township and remained at home until the time of his marriage. He then purchased eighty acres of land near Oscar Lake church, where he remained for two years, at the end of which time he sold the place and removed to St. Louis county, Minnesota, where he remained for one year, after which he returned to Holmes City township and there rented 2 farm for two years. He then obtained forty acres of his father and on this latter farm he has made many improvements to the buildings, as well a- having done much in the way of general development.
Carl Albert Myhr was united in marriage on November 24, 1909, to Anna S. Simonson, of Holmes City township, who was born in Ben Wade township, Pope county, this state, a daughter of Ingebright Simonson, a
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pioneer of Holmes City township. Mr. Myhr and wife are active in the work of the Norwegian Lutheran church and are prominent in the social activities of the community. Mr. Myhr is interested in the Holmes City Fire Insurance Company and takes a keen interest in the civic affairs of the township.
JOHN E. SANSTEAD.
No more progressive and painstaking agriculturalist can be found in Ida township. Douglas county, than John E. Sanstead, who was born in Sweden on April 17, 1864. He is a son of Gustav and Carrie Sanstead, both natives of Sweden, where they grew up and were married. There the father learned the blacksmith's trade under his father, which he followed there until emigrating to America in 1869. He worked for his brother, Andrew, who owned a blacksmith shop at Garfield, Minnesota, remaining with him for some time. In 1870 he took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Ida township, nearly all timbered land, on which he built a small log house. In 1871 he sent for his family, who had remained in the old country. They came to Benson, this state, the western terminus of the railroad, and after some difficulty found their way on to Douglas county by stage. After many hardships the father developed a good farm and established a comfortable home here. His wife died in 1873 at the age of fifty-two years. About 1875 he married Hannah Johnson. He remained on his farm until 1889 when he retired from active life, selling the place to his stepson, F. O. John- son. A while after he lived in Garfield, where his death occurred in 1905, at the age of seventy-five years. He had three children, namely: Mary, who married Joseph Hogman and lives in Canada; John E., the subject of this sketch, and August, who owns an elevator at Garfield and is engaged in buying grain.
John E. Sanstead received part of his education in Sweden and part in the district schools of Ida township, Douglas county. He assisted his father with the work on the farm until 1887, then bought a team and with C. G. Olson went to Elbow Lake and worked on the construction of the Great Northern railroad. He later went to Crookston, this state, then to North Dakota, doing farm work. Selling his team, he returned to Garfield and worked on the farm for his Uncle Andrew for two years. In the fall of 1889 he rented two hundred and eighty acres of his Uncle Andrew, which he operated two years; then, in partnership with F. R. Johnson, he bought
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one hundred and twenty acres in Ida township. About forty acres of that land was cleared and there was an old log house on it. They cleared and put the land under cultivation. In 1896 Mr. Sanstead purchased his part- ner's interest and a little later he bought forty acres more, and has since been operating the place alone, now owning two hundred acres. In 1907 he built a modern two-story frame residence. He also has a good barn and outbuild- ings. In connection with general farming, he makes a specialty of the dairy business, keeping an average of thirty-three head of excellent dairy cows. Everything about his place denotes good management and taste.
Mr. Sanstead was married in 1889 to Hilda Johnson, a native of Sweden, who came to America in 1883. To this union eight children have been born, namely : Hilma, who was graduated in music from 'Northwestern College at Fergus Falls and taught music successfully for several years; Gust, who is a student in Gustavus Adolphus College at St. Peter ; Ellen, who was grad- uated from the Alexandria high school and is now teaching; Olga, Edwin, Teckla and George, all at home, and Arvid, deceased.
Mr. Sanstead is a Republican and was township clerk for several years. He is now a member of the local school board, of which he has been treas- urer since 1904. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church, in which he is a deacon. He is superintendent of the Sunday school and has been for a number of years a teacher in the Sunday school. He is a stockholder in the Garfield creamery, in the farmers' elevator and in the potato ware- house.
ERICK G. STAFFANSON.
One of the native-born sons of Douglas county who has been contented to devote his energies to tilling the soil in his own locality is Erick G. Staf- fanson, who lives in Solem township. His birth occurred on the farm on which he still resides, August 29, 1870. He is a son of Mons and Mary (Erickson ) Staffanson, both natives of Sweden, in which country they spent their earlier years, immigrating to the United States in 1869. After spending one summer in Goodhue county, Minnesota, then came on to Douglas county, and in 1870 the father homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres in Solem township, where he has since resided. He broke the sod, planted a grove and put up all the buildings. He has prospered by close application to his general farming operations and by good management, and is now owner of an excellent farm of four hundred and forty acres. He is
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assisted in the management of the same by his sons, Erick G. and Leonard Staffanson. The former is unmarried, but Leonard Staffanson married Anna Johnson and has one child, Manda. The wife of Mons Staffanson is deceased. To these parents six children were born, namely: Magdalena, Erick G., Steven (deceased), Selma, Leonard, and Ole. The Staffansons are members of the Swedish Lutheran church at Varmsburg, which Mons Staffanson helped organize.
CARL J. CARLSON.
Carl J. Carlson, a native of Sweden and one of the well-known and successful farmers of Millerville township, Douglas county, was born on March 31, 1866, the son of Johannas and Carolina (Anderson) Carlson.
Andrew Carlson, the paternal grandfather, was a farmer in his native land and was highly respected. Johannas and Carolina Carlson were edu- cated in the public schools of their native country and there Johannas Carl- son engaged in farming. They were the parents of the following children : Christine, Mathilda. Peter J., August, Eva, Gustaf and Mary, the latter of whom was the only one of the children who did not come to the United States, but remained in the home land with her father and mother.
Carl J. Carlson received his education in the common schools of Sweden and there grew to manhood. In 1888, at the age of twenty-two years, he decided that he would come to America where so many of his countrymen and neighbors had located and where they had made homes for themselves and their families. On his arrival in New York he came directly to Minne- sota and located in Evansville, where he clerked in a store for five years, at the end of which time he moved to Millersville township. On January 28, 1893, he was married to Alice Anderson, the daughter of Carl J. and Inga C. (Swenson) Anderson, natives of Sweden, who located in Millerville township, in 1869. There Mr. Anderson had one hundred and forty acres of land, where Mr. and Mrs. Carlson now live Carl and Inga Anderson were natives of Sweden and there received their education in the public schools of that country, and there grew to manhood and womanhood and were mar- ried. They later came to Minnesota, locating on a farm in Millerville town- ship, which they developed and improved, and there engaged in general farming and stock raising for many years, spending the rest of their lives
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on the home farm. Carl Anderson died on October 2, 1893, at the age of sixty-eight years, and his widow died on January 30, 1902, at the age of sixty-eight years.
To Carl J. and Alice Carlson have been born three children: Carl G. F., Edgar, R. A. and Ebba. The family are highly respected and are prom- inent in the social life of the community. Mr. Carlson has always taken an active interest in the civic affairs of the township and has served as a member of the school board, treasurer of that body for the past twelve years. He is a strong advocate of good roads and of the best of schools.
Mr. Carlson purchased his farm of one hundred and forty acres in 1891 and since that time he has made many valuable and substantial improve- ments on the same. The family live in the old homestead house of Carl J. Anderson, which is now some forty-five years old, one of the substantial and well-built houses of the community in an early day. Since assuming pos- session of the farm, Mr. Carlson has planted more than three hundred dol- lars worth of trees and built. a large barn in 1916. His farm nearly sur- rounds Lake Anderson, a beautiful little body of water that lends much beauty to the place.
ADAM CARLQUIST.
Adam Carlquist, one of the substantial and well-known farmers of Osakis township, Douglas county, is a native of Sweden, where he was born on December 3, 1871, the son of C. J. and Sophia (Lungren) Carl- quist, also natives of Sweden, where they lived until 1882, when they de- cided to seek a home in America. On their arrival in the United States they came directly to Minnesota and located in Alexandria, later purchas- ing a farm of one hundred and twenty acres three miles south of that city. As a farmer and stock raiser C. J. Carlquist was quite successful and be- came one of the well-known and prominent men of the township. After a time he removed to Alexandria, where he was the proprietor of a popular hotel for many years and where he is now living retired.
Adam Carlquist received the greater part of his education in the public schools of Alexandria and later attended the schools of Lake Mary town- ship. As a lad and young man he assisted his father on the home farm and soon engaged in farming for himself on eighty acres that he owned, one and one-half miles from Garfield. After remaining there for two years he removed to Alexandria, where he engaged in the meat trade until he
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removed to Northport, Washington, where he remained for two years, at the end of which time he returned to Douglas county, where he remained for one year. He then removed to Canada, where he engaged in farming for five years, at the end of which time he returned to Douglas county and purchased his present farm of two hundred acres in Osakis township. He has erected all the present buildings on that farm, with the exception of the house and granary, and it is there that he is successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. Mr. Carlquist is particularly interested in the breeding and the raising of Guernsey cattle, of which he has many fine specimens.
On July 8, 1896, Adam Carlquist was united in marriage to Augusta Lungren, daughter of P. A. Lungren, a well-known citizen of the county, and to this union the following children have been born: Mariam, Chris- tine, Ella, Elmer, Albin, Fred and Eleanor Evelyn. Politically, Mr. Carl- quist is independent. yet he has taken much interest in local affairs and has had much to do with the general development of the township and the county. He and his family are among the most prominent residents of the township and are held in the highest regard by all who know them.
P. A. Lungren, father of Mrs. Carlquist, was born in Sweden on October 14, 1833, and there grew to manhood and married Johanne Eagle- strom. Mr. Lungren and wife later came to America in 1852. On their arrival in the United States they located in New York state, where Mr. Lungren was employed as a farm hand for four years. In 1856 the family removed to Kansas and there engaged in general farming. At the outbreak of the Civil War, P. A. Lungren, being true to his adopted country, en- listed in Company A, First Regiment. Kansas Volunteer Infantry, and saw much active service until the close of the war. He received a severe wound while serving under General Lyon, and after recovering from his wound he re-enlisted in the Sixth Minnesota Regiment, Volunteer Infantry, and was discharged as sergeant. He later served in the trouble with the In- dians, and was recognized as one of the most faithful and deserving of soldiers. At the close of the war he came to Minnesota, where he located on the farm now owned by Adam Carlquist, in Osakis township. Douglas county. There he owned one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he developed and improved, and where he was successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. This farm he made his home until 1908. when he retired from the activities of farm life and moved to Nelson, where he died two years later, having lived a useful and honorable life, being highly
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respected by all who knew him. Mr. Lungren was an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic and took much interest in the work of that order. He always took much interest in local affairs, served a term as sheriff of Douglas county, and was for many years clerk of the school board of his township and was ever active and interested in the advance- ment of the schools. He was a firm believer in public improvements and was a strong advocate of the good roads system, as well as the most perfect school system possible. Being a man of broad views and being well in- formed, his influence and advice were of much value in the community in which he lived. Mr. and Mrs. Lungren were the parents of three children, Mrs. Carlquist having had a brother, Bennett, and a sister, Matilda, both now deceased.
JAMES F. DICKEN.
One of the venerable retired farmers and honored pioneer citizens of Douglas county who is deserving of special mention in this work is James F. Dicken, of Ida township. He was born in Bedford county, Pennsyl- vania, October 12, 1835, and is a son of Jesse and Mary ( Donahue ) Dicken. The grandparents, Jonathan and Nancy (Bradket) Dicken, were of Eng- lish ancestry. He was a near relation of Charles Dickens, the great English novelist. (They dropped the "s" from their name when they came to America.) The maternal grandfather, James Donahue, was a native of Ireland, and his wife, Jane Cassidy, was of Irish descent. The parents of the subject of this review were natives of Pennsylvania, where they spent their lives on a farm. Ten children were born to them, namely: Jane, Jonathan, James F., Stephen, Anthony, Isaac, Jerome, Sylvester, Catherine and Mary. The last named is the wife of John Sweeney, a farmer of Ida township. Jerome Dicken is living in Alexandra. Sylvester Dicken, who also lived in Douglas county, died some time ago.
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